Window unit with roll-type slats



Jilly 8, 1969 H.IH. MAN 3,

WINDOW UNIT WITH ROLL-TYPE SLATS Filed Feb. 8. 1967 Sheet pf 2 INVENTOR.

July 8, 1969 H. AN 3,454,073

WINDOW UN IT WITH ROLL-TYPE SLATS Filed Feb. 8, 1967 Sheet of 2 INVENTOR.

Henry H. Man E9 BY HTTKS. aid e910.

ML 01v, Seine, BnrcHEL p52 United States Patent Filed Feb. 8, 1967, Ser. No. 615,021 Int. Cl. E06b 3/ 32, 9/08 US. Cl. 160107 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A self-contained closure unit including a frame, a closure element and a shutter member with the frame being an integral structure defining guide means for the shutter, support means for the closure element, and support means for an actuating member for the shutter. The self-contained unit is designed for delivery to a job site in a completely assembled condition ready for setting into position in an opening defined in a building structure.

Background of the invention The present invention relates generally to closure units and more particularly to a self-contained closure unit including a closure member and a blind or shutter member.

Summary of the invention Generally speaking, the present invention includes a completely self-contained closure unit which is completely assembled and delivered to the job site in an assembled condition ready for installation into an opening. The closure unit includes a frame having integral element defining guides and supports for a shutter member, a closure unit and actuating means for raising and lowering the shutter member with respect to the frame. Also, the invention incorporates unique cooperating retaining elements between the shutter member and the frame.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved closure unit which is capable of being delivered to the site in completely assembled condition ready for installation in an opening of a building.

Another object is to provide a self-contained closure unit in which all of the elements of the closure unit are carried by a single frame.

A further object is to provide an improved closure unit having a shutter member disposed between the closure member and the outside surrounding atmosphere.

A still further object is to provide an improved selfcontained closure unit having a shutter member which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and is capable of withstanding severe forces.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent when considered in conjunction with the following specification and the accompanying drawings wherein,

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a building having the closure unit of the invention mounted in an opening therein;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the closure unit shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view .of the closure unit shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the shutter shown in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6- is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of guide means for the shutter.

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tion of a building 10 having an opening I12 therein, which receives the closure unit 14 of the invention therein. The closure unit 14 includes a closure member 16, a blind or shutter member 18 and moving means 20 for raising and lowering the blind or shutter member 18, all carried within a single frame 22.

The closure member 16 is illustratively shown as a pair of window sashes 23 guided for generally horizontal movement with respect to the frame by guide members 24, which form an integral part of the frame 22. Thus, the sashes 23, which carry the glass units 26, may be individually moved with respect to the frame 22. Although the closure member has been illustr-atively shown as a pair of sliding sashes, it is readily apparent that the closure member could be a single window unit, a double hung vertically sliding window unit or a conventional door mounted on hinges carried by the frame 22.

The shutter member 18 may be any type of unit which is capable of being wound upon a drum. However, according to one aspect of the invention a shutter member is preferably of the type illustrated in FIGURE 5. The shutter member shown in FIGURE 5 includes a plurality of slats 30, each of which includes a base element 32, which is preferably formed of extruded plastic. The base member includes a pair of inwardly directed downwardly depending flanges 34 which form an opening therebetween to receive the base portion of a generally T-shaped member 36 formed on the upper end of each of the base members 32. The leg portion of the T-shaped member 36 is provided with a plurality of openings 38, for a purpose to be described later.

Each of the base members 32, forming the respective slats 30, includes a pair of anti-friction bearing surfaces 40, preferably of a nylon material, which are removably secured to the opposed surfaces of the base member 32 by screws 42. The extruded base member 32 includes a generally rectangular opening 44 which is adapted to receive a reinforcing member 46 for rigidifying the entire slat structure.

The plurality of adjacent slats are readily interconnected by sliding the base portion of the T-shaped member 36 in the opening formed between the respective flanges 34 of the adjacent slat 30. The plurality of interconnected slats are then guided between an open and closed position by guide means formed on the frame 22. In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 through 3, the guide means includes a pair of opposed aligned channels 50 formed as an integral part of the frame 22 and having their open ends directed toward each other. The side edges of the respective slats are received in the channels 50 and the bearing surfaces 40 are in direct contact with the inner surfaces of the channel members.

The plurality of slats 30 forming the blind or shutter member 18 are moved between the open and closed positions by the moving means 20, which includes a drum 60 rotatably journalled at opposite ends on stub shafts 63 carried by the frame 22 withsuitable bearings 61 interposed therebetween. As clearly shown on FIGURE 4, the ball bearings have one race fixedly secured to inner surface of the hollow drum 60 so that the drum acts as a shaft for raising and lowering the shutter. The frame 22 is provided with an enlarged portion 62 at the upper end thereof for receiving the enlarged drum 60 therein. Preferably a removable cover 64 forms a part of the enlarged portion 62 so that access may be had to the drum 60 if the need arises. The cover is provided with channel portions at the upper and lower ends which cooperate with channels on the walls of the enlarged portion so that the cover may be aflixed to the enlarged portion without the aid of screws. The drum 60 is adapted to be rotated in either direction by a winch 70 and a cable 72 interconnecting the winch and the drum 60. Preferably, the cable or cord 72 is guided within the frame by guide means, such as a sleeve 74 carried by the frame 22 and is adapted to be wound upon a pulley 75 secured to the drum 60 by a flanged bracket 76 and screws (not shown). The winch 70 is preferably of the type disclosed in copending application of Mr. Claudio Gigante for a Control Mechanism, Serial No. 614,716, filed on February 8, 1967, and assigned to the common assignee of this application.

As can readily be appreciated, the closure unit of the present invention provides a simple self-contained unit which may be completely assembled and delivered as a complete unit to the building site. The unit may be readily installed in an opening of a building by unskilled workmen since the unit need only be placed in an appropriate opening and secured therein.

After the closure unit has been installed in an opening 12 of the building the blind or shutter member 18 may be readily raised or lowered from the inside of the building by turning the handle 80 of the winch 70 in the appropriate direction to raise or lower the shutter member. If the shutter member is stopped at any point intermediate the complete closed position, the openings 38 will allow a limited amount of light to enter through the shutters into the room of the building. However, if the shutter member is moved to its completely closed position, the lower slat 30 will engage a surface adjacent the bottom end of each of the channels 50 and continued counterclockwise rotation of the drum 60 will allow the weight of the respective slats to cause the slats to nest with each other thereby having the lower portion of one slat covering the openings 38 of the adjacent slat. This will completely eliminate any penetration of light beyond the shutter to thereby eliminate any heating of the glass, which forms a part of the illustrated closure unit.

Also, by forming the plurality of slats of a plastic material and placing the slats outside the closure member, the usual cleaning required by shutter members, such as venetian blinds, is eliminated. This is because the shutter member is outside of the building and is made of a smooth plastic, which is unlikely to catch dust or dirt.

The slats may be readily provided in a variety of colors and thus eliminate any necessity of painting. Also, by reinforcing the plastic slats with a metallic member, the metallic member will provide the additional strength required to absorb the severe forces which may be imposed upon the individual slats.

A slightly modified form of the invention is disclosed in FIGURE 6 wherein the frame 100 is, in most respects,

identical to the frame 22. However, the frame includes generally H-shaped guides 102 (only one being shown) for guiding the respective slats forming the shutter members. In the modified embodiment shown in FIG- URE 6, the respective ends of each of the slats 104, similar to slats 30, include generally I-shaped guide members 106, preferably of nylon material, which are adapted to be respectively received in the guide members 102.

The modified form of shutter member and guide means shown in FIGURE 6 is particularly adapted for use in areas where the unit may be subjected to extremely high forces caused by winds of hurricane strength.

I claim:

1. A self-contained closure unit including a frame adapted to be received in an opening of a building and a closure element and shutter member movably supported by said frame, the improvement of said frame comprising an integral unit having integral inwardly directed means supporting said closure element, means for slidably supporting said shutter member within said frame, said last means comprising spaced parallel pairs of flanges integral with opposed inner surfaces of said frame, said pairs of flanges extending towards each other and defining a shutter member receiving space between each pair of flanges, lugs extending from each said flanges into said spaces and defining retaining means for said shutter member, means defining cooperating slots on opposite edges of said shutter member cooperating with said lugs to retain said shutter member in said spaces while accommodating relative sliding movement of said members longitudinally of said flanges, integral means on one end of said flanges defining an enlarged recess, a drum rotatable in said recess with said shutter member secured thereto, an integral leg extending outwardly from one side of said unit and defining a space, rotatable means supported within said space, a cable within said space connecting said rotatable means with said drum, and a sleeve substantially completely enclosing said cable within said space.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,723,487 8/1929 Ohno -133 2,019,084 10/1935 Miller 160133 X 2,827,113 3/1958 Graham 160172 2,984,299 5/1961 Vallarelli et al. 160-26 3,055,419 9/1962 Rubin et al. 16084 FOREIGN PATENTS 551,546 10/1956 Belgium. 622,215 12/1962 Belgium.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primaly Examiner. PHILIP C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X. R. 160-133 

